Football

Cannot wait for MOTD tonight, at work today so missing Spurs spanking QPR. Sounds to be a good game though, got Radio5 on.

Loving MoPo already..

I thought Arsenal needed a top class centre back, defensive midfielder and centre forward. They seem to have signed a defender who isn't ready and a false nine / winger. Maybe they have found some resolve tough, given the late goals.

Terrible defending for both goals, though credit has to be given for the ball in that led to the 2nd. I can't work out if there are a world of deluded gooners or I'm missing something: many seem convinced that Ozil is total badass since he signed and that Wenger was correct to not re-sign Cesc.

Have Man United won a game yet?

Midfield should have been Cesc and Rambo with a class DMF behind with 2 wingers and Giroud or another striker in his mould. Sanchez is a luxury signing we don't really need especially if Wenger continues to play the formation he is.

Rambo and Cesc are 2 totally different players. Rambo box to box and Cesc to unlock the defence. I reckon probably the best passer of the ball after the likes of Alonso or Xavi.

We still need a quality CB, the all elusive DMF and a striker to replace Giroud as first choice.

It's gonna be a long season. Whole new defence please Louis.

we were shit today. not going to blame the defence for that performance. where was the speed and invention? the di maria thing could be good news but he will be looking around wondering if anyone is on the same page.

mata, cleverly, young were all invisible today. and it forced rooney and van persie to keep having to drop way too short.

Di Maria is an expensive smokescreen, unless we invest in out defence, we are going to be fucking leaky at the back and seem to lack the ability to actually do anything with the ball, depressingly we seem to be apeing the arsenal of three or four years ago, who had approach play but did fuck all with it. I can't believe Cleverly us bring offered a new deal, him and young need to go now.

At the moment dude we lack a bit of everything.

Pochettino looks like a big toddler.

Pisti, how is Dier getting on at Spurs? He's the one that's rubbish, isn't he?

@buckaroo i agree with you dude. i rate di maria but rather having him joining us at 60m we should be bringing in some defensive stability and midfield drive.

we lack everything, with the exception of some managerial direction. i hope.

RIP Dickie Attenborough... #cfc #ktbffh

A lot of clubs in need of a decent CB but its hard to think of who is on the market. Seems like Chelsea and man city did the right thing getting theirs in early this summer.

I'm still amazed that united could let their two CB's go at the same time and not replace them.

^^this.

RIP Richard Attenborough.

Both centrebacks were finished long before they were sold this summer. Utd have shown real negligence at all levels post fergie. Every decision is wrong. The squad has been allowed to become lopsided. Rooney is not worth 300k a week and is certainly not captain material at all. Their transfer market dealings are desperate and i really dont believe they have much money sloshing about.

All of that, depressingly is so true...

Trying not to get too high after the win over qpr, but watching the highlights looked like we'd found some of our attacking mojo. Nice to see some of the players who failed to impress last season break cover and show why we paid the money.

Harder matches to come this season, next up Liverpool, hope the attacking vigour keeps up..

I know they have both been on the way out for a couple of years, but letting both go at once, plus Evra is stupidity. Especially with the lack of pre-season Van Gaal was given. Vidic could have done a job for another season until they found sound decent replacements.

At the moment the di Maria signing looks a bit like the Mata one - a good player, but doesn't really address any of the problems facing the team. The kind of money they are paying for him could be put to much better use. They should definitely have been in for Cesc when he was on the market.

Definitely agree with you on the money thing - noises about breaking the transfer record just sound like empty threats.

Hard to make any real assessment of this Spurs team — QPR put up as much might as 11 training cones.
We will be lucky if we get to play another team this year who are half as accommodating - they let Chadli score twice FFS.
Lamela looks energetic but a bit clueless, Soldado was invisible as per, and I still don't rate Bentaleb at all.

West Brom sign Varela on loan. Decent bit of business that

@dan
Soldado didn't play, adebayor was alone up front.
Chadli's got size and strength, just needs the confidence and the play time to be part of that interchangeable three behind the striker..

So will Van Gaal sign Blind, Vidal and Di Maria this week?

And where does the later fit into any formation?

Yes, no, yes. And no don't know either, feels like a vanity signing.

He did - subbed at 80 mins. Probably wasn't on the MOTD highlights you watched though...

Di Maria is in career best form and Ancelotti had him playing brilliantly in the 4-3-3 formation last season. I think you'll bring in all three. Looking at LVG's comments yesterday it seems he's turning the screw on the united hierarchy. I would imagine at least 8-10 transfers at old Trafford before the end if the window.

8-10?!